Receipts from the sale of buildings in the real estate sector exceeded the average: “we did good business”, says the CEO.
Implenia’s managing director, André Wyss, believes that all business segments are developing better than expected and he is very satisfied with the order book, he said in an interview with Finanz und Wirtschaft (edition to be published on Saturday).
At the end of June, the Dietlikon group had issued a positive profit warning, indicating that it now expected an operating profit Ebit of at least 80 million francs in the first half, following 40 million in the first half of the previous financial year.
According to Wyss, Implenia made the announcement because all of its divisions are performing better than expected. In addition, income from the sale of buildings in the real estate sector exceeded the average: “we did good business,” said the CEO.
The books are currently full in terms of infrastructure projects, which the company intends to take advantage of. The boss expects major investments in infrastructure projects in Europe, which will boost the entire construction industry. In this regard, he does not share the pessimism of the German construction umbrella.
Potential in energy supply
Wyss also sees potential in the energy supply sector. Implenia is currently building a dam at the Grimsel, which can later be expanded. There are also growing needs in the wind energy and solar energy sectors. For example, motorway rehabilitation can be combined with solar installations and Implenia is well positioned for such projects, according to its boss.
Implenia would not be affected by a possible decline in demand for the construction of family homes or apartment buildings: the group only builds large real estate complexes for large investors.
Implenia has cushioned supply difficulties by being flexible in global purchasing. Price increases have not hit the group hard so far. Predicting the evolution of the availability of materials and costs remains difficult and the company is monitoring the situation very closely, concluded its boss.
